A legislation ensuring that in many cases COBRA benefits would be available for LGBT Americans if their partner quits or loses its job has been introduced in the House and in the Senate.

Rep. Anthony Weiner introduced the legislation, known as the Equal Access to COBRA Act, in the House, while Sen. Barbara Boxer introduced the legislation in the Senate reports Washington Blade.

This measure would be applied in companies already offering health coverage to their gay and lesbian employees with a partner "to ensure they have access to Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act benefits if they lose their job."

"All of our families deserve equal access to health insurance," Boxer said. "This bill would help ensure that domestic partners and their families will be able to keep their health coverage if their partner loses their job."

Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said that "in these troubled economic times, social safety-net benefits like COBRA continuation coverage are even more important to American families. LGBT people should have the equal ability to maintain those critical benefits for their families during difficult times."